Fine Dining at Cafe Ilustrado, Intramuros City, Manila

I had another opportunity to visit my most favourite city in Manila: the walled city of Intramuros. (Actually, as a back story, I had the fortune of getting lost going to Intramuros, and drove through the famous towns of Binondo and Quiapo)

I went around with a foreign friend named Patty, and it was great that because I went on the Carlos Celdran Intramuros tour, I had a lot of material to work with. We went on a kalesa tour (something that I did with my university friends during the vacation - we are random and geeky like that), but for some reason the kalesa man took us to a different route which allowed me to see parts of the city.

Manila Cathedral, which Patty said looks a lot like churches in Madrid.

The original site of Ateneo de Manila =)

The sign reads: Here once stood the Ateneo de Manila. Founded in 1817 as Escuela Pia de Manila. ... Exclusive ownership given to Jesuits in 1901. Gutted by fire in 1932. Grade school rebuilt in Intramuros while rest of the campus moved to ermita, Manila. Destroyed during World war II. Moved to Loyola Hights, Quezon City in 1962

Ateneo was a school dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, the goddess of philosophy and mathematics (Ateneo's strongest suits remains to be liberal arts and math). They called the school Atheneum, and since it was controlled by the Spanish Jesuits, it became Ateneo.

Some significant place involving Douglas MacArthur. They turned this as one of the areas for Manila Golf.

I love how they maintain the manicured lawn of Fort Santiago. It feels great to just sit on one of the benches and think quietly.

On our way out of Fort Santiago, some students from UST accosted me to answer their tourism survey. When I handed back the completed copy, they asked: So why do you travel to Intramuros?

I come here to eat.

I took Patty to the best place I knew (thus far), but haven't tried - the Fine Dining in Ilustrado Restaurant. I tried the cafe portion a few weeks back. I just love the interiors of the place - it made me reimagine Old Spanish Manila.

Seafood paella for Php 750. I loved this one. I forked through more than half the dish, and had to restrain myself, and I don't even like white rice! Truly a specialty of the house.

Ilustrado Restaurant

744 General Luna Street

Intramuros, Manila

Tel: 632 527 3674